From transitioning from the classroom to clinical settings to exploring specialized practice areas, the career trajectory of an RPN is rarely a straight line. One powerful resource that can make all the difference? Mentorship.
What Makes Mentorship Meaningful
“Mentorship means learning from someone else’s lived experience or teaching someone from your own lived experience,” explains Jessica Lavis, an RPN who has experienced both sides of this valuable relationship. “It consists of a mentor and mentee connection where you’re guiding an individual through a certain stage of their life, career, or education.”
This guidance becomes particularly crucial given that nursing is a profession built on continuous learning and adaptation. Nursing education, comprehensive as it may be, simply cannot prepare practitioners for every situation they’ll encounter. “Nursing consists of so many different specialties, which require different skills and different knowledge,” says Lavis. “I don’t believe that nursing school could possibly prepare you for absolutely everything.”
This reality makes mentorship not just beneficial but essential for professional growth and development.
Finding the Right Mentor
While the benefits of mentorship are clear, finding the right mentor requires thoughtful consideration. Lavis, who transitioned from bedside nursing to infection control three years ago, emphasizes that the relationship must extend beyond knowledge transfer alone:
“Do your research. Find somebody who has the experience or expertise that you’re seeking, but also make sure they’re a good fit for you. Don’t just choose somebody solely based on their knowledge, but try to find somebody who you have a strong connection with and who’s willing to take the time to be a mentor to you.”
This connection forms the foundation of effective mentorship. The best mentors aren’t just knowledgeable – they’re approachable, kind, patient, and make mentees feel comfortable asking questions.
The Transformation Through Mentorship
The impact of effective mentorship can be profound. For Lavis, her manager’s mentorship transformed her confidence and outlook on her specialized role. “My current mentor has helped me become confident in my new role. She encourages me to seek out new opportunities. She’s approachable, kind, patient, and makes me feel comfortable coming to her with questions.”
These positive experiences often create a ripple effect, inspiring mentees to become mentors themselves. “I want to be the same mentor that she is to me, to somebody else,” Lavis suggests, highlighting how mentorship becomes a self-perpetuating cycle that strengthens the entire profession.
WeRPN’s Mentorship Program: A Valuable Resource
The impact of effective mentorship can be profound. For Lavis, her manager’s mentorship transformed her confidence and outlook on her specialized role. “My current mentor has helped me become confident in my new role. She encourages me to seek out new opportunities. She’s approachable, kind, patient, and makes me feel comfortable coming to her with questions.”
These positive experiences often create a ripple effect, inspiring mentees to become mentors themselves. “I want to be the same mentor that she is to me, to somebody else,” Lavis suggests, highlighting how mentorship becomes a self-perpetuating cycle that strengthens the entire profession.
Advice for New Nurses
For newly graduated RPNs or those transitioning to new specialties, Lavis offers this encouragement: “Use your resources, whether it’s mentors, senior staff, charge nurses, educators, podcasts, webinars – whatever it may be. Take advantage of all the resources available to you and use them to your benefit.”
Perhaps most importantly, she emphasizes the value of questions: “Don’t be afraid to ask questions. There are no silly questions. That’s how we learn.”
The journey to becoming a confident and competent registered practical nurse may seem overwhelming at times, but the support of mentors and professional networks like WeRPN helps ensure you’re never truly alone in the process. “I know that it can be overwhelming,” Lavis say. “I’ve been there. But you’ve got this, and we’re here to support you.”
